Colombians Reject Peace Deal in Stunning Referendum, Advocates Cite Climate of “Intimidation & Fear”
October 3, 2016
In Colombia, voters have rejected a peace agreement between the government and the nation’s largest rebel group, the FARC, threatening to prolong the nation’s 52-year-old civil war. By a vote of 50.2 to 49.8 percent, Colombians rejected the peace deal signed just days ago by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman interviews longtime Colombian activist and Hofstra University professor, Mario Murillo to discuss the significance of the vote and what comes next.

Hungary’s Refugee Referendum Not Valid After Voters Stay Away
October 2, 2016
The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has failed to convince a majority of his population to vote in a referendum on closing the door to refugees, rendering the result invalid.More than 98% of participants in Sunday’s referendum sided with Orbán by voting against the admission of refugees to Hungary, allowing him to claim an “outstanding” victory. But more than half of the electorate stayed at home, rendering the process constitutionally null and void.

The Suspension of U.S.-Russian Cooperation in Syria
October 3, 2016
The U.S. State Department said Monday the U.S. was suspending bilateral talks with Russia over the situation in Aleppo, Syria.This suspension comes as Russia and Syria continue to intensify their attacks on rebel-held parts of Aleppo, preventing aid from reaching civilians.

Medea Benjamin: If Americans Can Sue Saudis over 9/11, Drone Victims Should Be Able to Sue U.S.
September 30, 2016
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, sat down with Democracy Now’s Juan González and Amy Goodman and talked about the significance of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. ” if the families of victims of drone attacks, innocent families, were able to take the U.S. to court instead of seeing joining ISIS or al-Qaeda as their only resort, that would be a very positive thing”.

The Continuing Turkish State of Emergency
October 3, 2016
Officials announced on Monday that Turkey has extended its state of emergency another three months. The state of emergency has been in place since July 20, five days after the attempted coup. Since the attempted coup, which left nearly 300 people dead, Turkish authorities have arrested tens of thousands of alleged political dissidents in the military, judiciary, academia, and the media, to the dismay of human-rights activists.

Rich Nations ‘Shirking’ Responsibility to Refugees – Amnesty
October 4, 2016
Amnesty International has accused the world’s wealthiest nations of shirking responsibility towards refugees, saying they host the fewest and do the least.Ten countries which account for just 2.5% of the global GDP are sheltering more than half the world’s 21 million refugees, says a report by the charity.

Bombing Kills At Least 20 At Kurdish Wedding In Syria
October 3, 2016
A bomb killed at least 20 people at a Kurdish wedding in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka on Monday, a Kurdish militia and a monitoring group said, while state media said the casualties had risen to at least 30 dead.

Obama Worries Future Presidents Will Wage Perpetual, Covert Drone War
October 3, 2016
In an interview with New York magazine’s Jonathan Chait, Obama expressed agreement with one of the most salient critiques of his drone war, that it risks creating “institutional comfort and inertia with what looks like a pretty antiseptic way of disposing of enemies.”